The present application relates generally to the field of nanoelectromechanical devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the field of using a nanotube to complete a circuit. Even more specifically, the present disclosure relates to the field of multi-state nanotube memory.
Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing field, which includes the development of nanostructures (e.g., nanotubes, fullerines, nanostrips, etc.) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) and devices. The small scale of nanotechnology makes it an ideal match for electronics systems. For example, NEMS may be used in integrated circuits, switches, and memory applications.
Conventional electronic switches and memory locations have binary states, which provide 2^n possible combinations (n being the number of memory locations). Increasing the number of possible states increases the possible combinations to x^n (x being the number of states). This allows a much higher density of switching functions or memory data, leading to smaller and more compact designs.